Control device



P 1941. E. J. DILLMAN 2,255,021 v CONTROL DEVICE Filed March 22, 1939 am" $733M H BY a K Ji ATTORNEY ratented Sept. 2, 1941 CONTROL DEVICE Earnest J. Dillman, Detroit, Mich., assignor to Detroit Lubricator Company, Detroit, Mich, a

corporation of Michigan Application March 22, 1939, Serial No. 263,486

- 14 Claims.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in control devices, and more particularly to thermostatic control means adapted among other uses for room temperature control.

An object of my invention is to provide means for actuating a plurality of control elements in predetermined sequence.

Another object is to provide thermostatic means for operating a plurality of control elements at a predetermined temperature differential.

Another object is to provide means for regulating the differential of operation of a plurality of control elements actuated by a single operating means..

The invention consists in the novel construction and relation of parts, to be more fully described hereinafter and the novelty of which will be particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed.

In the accompanying drawing, to be taken as a part of this specification, I have fully and clearly illustrated a preferred embodiment of my invention, in which drawing- Figure 1 is a view in front elevation of a control device illustrating my invention as embodied in a room thermostat;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail view in front elevation of a portion of the control device;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the structure shown in Fig. 2-, and

- Fig. 4 is a view of the control device shown from the rear of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing by characters of reference, I designates generally a base or supporting member of generally rectangular outline and preferably molded of electric insulating material. Positioned and secured substantially at the midportlon of the member I, there is a supporting post 2 which is preferably molded in an aperture through the member I and which has a bearing portion of substantially circular cross-section projecting from the front face of member I. Screwthreaded in the rear end of post 2 there is a terminal screw 3 (see Fig. 4) for connection of a lead wire to the post 2. Positioned beside the post 2 there is a second supporting post 4 which is secured in an aperture through the base member I, preferably by being molded therein, and which has a'bearing portion of substantially circular cross-section projecting from the front face of the member I. The rear end of the post 4 receives a terminal screw 5 for securing a lead wire to the post 4'. Journaled on the post 2 there is a supporting arm 6 extending longltudinally of the base member I and toward the low- 55 er end thereof. The arm 6 has a side flange I against which there is tensioned and bears one end of a leaf spring 3 which is secured in and to the post 2 so that the arm 6 is urged in a clockwise direction, facing Fig. 1. The spring 3 serves to hold the arm 8 in engagement with an adjustable abutment screw 9 carried by an arm III projecting from a supporting post II which projects from and is secured to the base member I. Rigidly fixed to the lower end portion of the arm 6 there is one end of a flexible and resilient metal blade or operating member I3, preferably a thin elongated strip, extending longitudinally of the base member in spaced relation and substantially parallel thereto and positioned between the arm 6 and the base member I. An adjustment screw I4 carried by arm 6 cooperates with the blade I3 to adjust the positioning of the free end of the blade and to flex it laterally, parallel to the base member I and relativeto the arm 6. The blade I3 extends substantially to the upper end of the base member I and carries adjacent its free end a control element I5 such as a switch contact member which is movable by the blade into and out of engagement with a fixed contact member I6 mounted on the base member I. Mounted on the back or rear face of blade I3 relative to contact member I6 or on the opposite side of the blade I3 from contact member I6, there is a thin leaf spring I! which is of less width than the blade I3 and which terminates at its free end substantially at the free end of blade I3. The spring IIis normally held throughout its length in face to face engagement with and secured to the blade I3 by a rivet I3. The contact member I5 is riveted or otherwise rigidly secured, as at I8, to the free end of spring I1 and projects through an end slot or aperture 20 (see Fig. 3) in the end of blade I3. The contact member I is adjustably screw-threaded through a supporting block ZI carried by the base member I and is adjustable parallel to the base member and toward and from the blade I3. A U-shaped permanent magnet 22 is also secured to the block ZI and has its pole faces opposed to and directed toward the blade I3 for exerting a magnetic pull or holding force on the blade.

The contact member I5 has an end flange I5 engageable with the blade I3 to limit movement of the blade toward the magnet. Journaled on the post 4 for rotary adjustable movement parallel to the base member I, there is a supporting arm or lever 23 which is positioned between the arm 6 and the base member I and also between the blade I3 and the base member I. Se-

cured to and through post 4 there is a leaf spring 24 which is tensioned against and bears at its free end laterally against a transverse flange 25 on the lever 23, the spring 24 acting to urge lever 23 away from the arm 6. On the lever 23 there is adjustably mounted a cam follower member 28 which is held by spring 24 in engagement with the inclined face 21 of an annular cam member 28 carried on the inner face of an adjustment wheel 29. A supporting post 30 projecting from and secured to the base member I supports the wheel 29 for rotation. Secured as at 3| to the lower free end of lever 23 there is a thermostatic operating member 32 which is an elongated bimetal blade extending longitudinally of the base member I and of the blade I3. The blade 32 is also positioned'between the blade I3 and the base member I such that the blades I3 and 32 are in edge to edge relation with blade 32 flexin parallel to base member I upon temperature change. The blades I3 and 32 also extend between the arm 6 and the lever 23 and between the posts 2 and 4. An adjustment screw 32 carried by lever 23 cooperates with blade 32 to regulate the position of the blade on its supporting lever. A control element 33, such as a switch contact member, is supported on the upper free end of the blade 32 and cooperates with a fixed contact member 34 carried by the supporting block 2| and ispositioned between the contact member I6 and the bme member I. The contact member 34 is adjustably supported in the block 2| and is movable parallel to the base member I and toward and from the blade 32 (see Fig. 3). The block 2| has a terminal post 35 extending through the base member I and is provided with a terminal screw 36 for connecting a lead wire to the contact members I6 and 34. The control element 33 is riveted or otherwise secured, as at 31, to the free end of a metallic leaf spring 38 which extends longitudinally of the blade 32. The spring 38 is secured to the blade 32 by a rivet 39 which normally holds the spring 38 flat throughout its length against the rear face or side of blade 32 relative to contact member 34. The spring 38 extends to the upper free end of blade 32 so that the contact member 33 is supported for reciprocation in an end slot or aperture 48 through the blade 32. Positioned between and parallel to the magnet 22 and the base member I there is a U-shaped permanent magnet 4| having its pole faces directed toward and opposed to the thermostatic blade 32 such that the magnet cooperates with the blade to exert a magnetic pull or holding force on the blade 32. The contact member 33 has a flange, 33 engageable with the blade 32 to limit movement of blade 32 toward the magnet 4|. The magnets 22 and 4| have their pole faces so positioned relative to their respective contact members I6 and 34 that an air gap will be provided between each of the magnets and the armature portion of its respective blade when the switch contact members are in engagement and the lost motion provided by leaf springs I1 and 38 and flanges I5 and 33 has been taken up. Mounted on the blade I3 there is a bracket member 42 having upper and lower substantially parallel, spaced, side flanges 43 and 44 which extend across and transverse to the rear face of blade I3. The bracket member 42 is positioned closely adjacent contact member I5 so that practically no bending of the blade will occur in operation between the position of the bracket member and the contact member I5. Each of the flanges 43 and 44 has an edge recess 45 providing spaced clamping fingers 46 and 41 which fit over and embrace therebetween the side edges of the blade I3. Each of these fingers also has a shoulder 48 against which the marginal edge portion of the rear face of the blade I3 bears so as to accurately position the bracket member on the blade. Each of the fingers has its end portion 43 bent or turned over against the front face of blade I3 so that the bracket 42 is tightly clamped and held to the blade. The depth of the recess is sufiicient to permit free movement of the spring blade I'| until stopped by engagement of flange I5 and blade I3. The bracket member 42 also has an end flange 50 which extends toward the blade I3 and has lateral abutting relation with the side edge of the blade to overcome twisting of the bracket member and to aid further the tight clamping of the bracket member to the blade. On the bracket member 42 there is an arm 5| which projects toward the base member I g and which cooperates with the bracket member to bridge the space between the blades I3 and 32 and which has its free end in spaced overlying relation to the rear face of blade 32 so that blade 32 lies between arm 5| and contact member 34. The free end portion of arm 5| terminates in a substantially semi-circular or concave rebent portion 52 having an internally screw-threaded aperture therethrough alined with and overlying the leaf spring 38. Adjustably screw-threaded through the rebent portion aperture there is an abutmentmember or screw 530i electric insulating material which at its inner end engages against the rear face of the leaf spring 38.

The operation of my control device is as follows: The blade I3 is under stress so that the contact member I5 is urged toward the contact member I6 but is restrained from movement into engagementtherewith by the engagement of the abutment member 53 with the thermostatic blade 32. The temperature difference between the temperature at which contact member I5 engages contact member I6 and the temperature at which contact member 33 engages contact member 34 is adjusted by the adjustment screw 53. Thus, if the contact member I5 will engage contact member I6 at say F., then as the screw 53 is moved inward or toward contact member 34, the temperature difference will be decreased and can be made 0 such that the contact members I5 and 33 will simultaneously engage their respective contact members. Upon turning the screw 53 so that it moves away from contact member 34, the temperature differential will be increased and when in the position shown, will be say 2 F. so that the contact member 33 will engage its contact member 34 at say 68 F. If now with the parts in the positions shown the temperature affecting thermostatic blade 32 falls, the blade 32 will move toward contact member 34, thereby permitting blade I3 due to its inherent resilience to follow or move therewith toward contact member I6, with the screw 53 being held in engagement with the blade 32. When the temperature of 70 F. is reached, contact member I5 will have been permitted to move into engagement with its contact member I6, thereby closing the circuit between the terminal screw 3 and 36. As the temperature affecting blade 32 continues to decrease, then, the blade I3 having engaged the contact member flange I5, the blade 32 and leaf spring 38 will move out of engagement with the adjustment screw 53 and when the temperature reaches the desired lower degree of 68 F., the contact member 33 will engage contact member 34, thereby completing the circuit between terminal screws and 33: If it is desired to change the temperature range, this may be done by rotating the cam wheel 29 which will move the blade 32 either away from or toward the contact member 34. If the blade 32 is adjusted away from contact member 34, then this movement will act through screw 53 and bracket member 42 to move the blade I3 away from contact member i6 to the same extent as blade 32 is moved away from contact member 34. However, if blade 32 is moved by rotation of wheel 29 toward contact member 34, then the blade l3 will move under its inherent resilience toward contact member l6 and hold adjustment screw 53 in engagement with the blade 32. The

' differential between the temperatures at which contact will be made and broken can be adjusted by regulating the magnetic air gaps when the .contact members are in engagement, by adjusting the fixed contact members I 6 and 34 relative to the pole faces of their respective magnets. It will also be apparent that the pressure of contact members l5 against contact member l6 under the force of spring blade l3 can be adjusted by the regulating screws 9 and I4 and is preferably only sufflcient to hold abutment screw 53 in engagement throughout its travel with blade 32.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a control device, a supporting member, a laterally movable operating member mounted on said supporting member and stressed to move in one direction, a control element movable by said operating member, a second laterally movable operating member movable in response to temperature change, a control element movable by said second operating member, a bracket member secured to one of said operating members, and an abutment member on said bracket member and engaging the other of said operating members to limit movement of said stressed operating member in said one directionrelative to said second operating member.

2. In a control device, a supporting member, a laterallymovable operating member mounted on said supporting member and stressed to move in one direction, a control element movable by said operating member, a second laterally movable operating member movable in response to temperature change, a control element movable by said second operating member, a bracket member secured to one of said operating members, and an abutment screw adjus'tably mounted on said bracket member and engaging the other of said operating members, said screw determining the positions of said operating members relative to each other and limiting the movement of said stressed operating' member in said one direction relative to said second operating member. I

3. In a control device, a spring blade, a bracket member overlying one face of said blade and having a plurality of flanges extending toward said blade, one of said flanges having lateral engagement with one edge of said blade, others of said flanges being spaced and extending across said one blade face and having spaced fingers clamped to the blade edges, an arm extending from said bracket member, an abutment screw adjustably threaded through said arm, and a movable operating member engaged by said screw and determining the movement of said blade.

4. In a controldevice, a supporting member, a

pair of switch contacts mounted on said supporting member, a thermostatic member, a contact member movable by said thermostatic member to engage one of said switch contacts, an operating member mounted on said supporting member and stressed to move toward the other of said switch contacts, a contact member movable by said operating member to engage the said other of said switch contacts, a bracket member secured to said operating member, and an adjustment screw carried by said bracket member and engaging said thermostatic member, said screw limiting the movement of said operating member relative to said thermostatic member.

5. A room thermostat comprising a base member, a fixed contact member mounted on said base member, a spring blade fixed at one end to said base member and having its other end adjacent to said contact member, a leaf spring secured to and extending along said blade into opposing relation to said contact member, a contact member carried by said leaf spring and engageable with said fixed contact member, a second fixed contact member mounted on said base member adjacent said first-named fixed contact member, a thermostatic blade mounted at one end on said base member in edge to edge relation to said spring blade and having its other end adjacent to said second-named fixed contact member, a leaf spring secured to and extending along said thermostatic blade into opposing relation to said second-named fixed contact member, a contact member carried by said second named leaf spring and engageable with said second-named fixed contact member, a bracket member secured to said spring blade and having overlying spaced relation to said first-named leaf spring, an arm on said bracket member and extending into overlying spaced relation to said thermostatic blade and said second-named leaf spring, and an abutment screw adjustably threaded through said arm and engageable with said second-named leaf spring, said spring blade being stressed to hold said abutment screw in engagement with said second-named leaf spring as said thermostatic blade moves toward said second-named fixed contact member.

6. In a control device, a supporting member, an operating member movable in one direction, a second operating member separate from said first-named operating member and movable in said one direction in response to temperature change, a flrst control means operated by said first-named operating member and having a fixed portion carried by said supporting member, a second control means operated by and upon movement of said second operating member and having a fixed portion carried by said supporting member, and means inter-connecting said operating members and being so constructed and arranged that movement of said second operating member in said one direction will move said first-named operating member in said one direction to actuate said first control means.

7. In a control device, a supporting member, an operating member movable in one direction and stressed for movement in a second direction, a second operating member movable in said one direction in response to temperature change, a first control means operated by said first-named operating member, a second control means operated by and upon movement of said second operating member, and means inter-connecting said operating members and being so constructed and arranged that movement of said second'operating member in said one direction will move said first-named operating member in said one direction against its stressed movement thereby to actuate said first control means.

8. In a control device, a supporting member, an elongated leaf spring operating member mounted on said supporting member and stressed to move in one direction, a control element movable by said operating member, a laterally movable operating member movable in response to temperature change, a control element movable by said movable operating member, a bracket member secured to one of said operating members, an abutment member on said bracket member and engaging the other of said operating members to limit movement of said stressed operating member in said one direction relative to said movable operating member, and means on i said abutment member to adjust said limit of relative movement.

9. In a room thermostat, a supporting member, a pair of spaced contact members carried by said supporting member, a pair of independently movable electrically insulated members carried by said supporting member for cooperation with said' contact members to control a pair of electric circuits, means for moving one of said movable members in accordance with temperature to control one of said circuits, and means separate from said moving means and operatively interconnecting said movable members and so constructed and arranged that movement of said one movable member will cause movement of the otherof said movable members to control another of said circuits.

10. A room thermostat comprising a base member, a fixed contact member mounted on said base member, a spring blade fixed at one end to said base member and having its other end adjacent to said contact member, a contact member carried by said spring blade and engageable with said fixed contact member, a second fixed contact member mounted on said base member adjacent said first-named fixed contact member, a thermostatic blade mounted at one end on said base member in edge to edge'relation to said spring blade and having its other end adjacent to said second-named fixed contact member, a contact member carried by said thermostatic blade and engageable with said secondnamed fixed contact member, a bracket member secured to said spring blade, an arm on said bracket member and extending into overlying spaced relation to said thermostatic blade, and an abutment screw adjustably threaded through said arm and engageable with said thermostatic member adjacent said first-named fixed contact member, a thermostatic blade mounted at one end on said base member in edge to edge relation to said spring blade and having its other end adjacent to said second-named fixed contact member, a leaf spring secured to and extending along said thermostatic blade into opposing relation to and movable away from said secondnamed fixed contact member, a contact member carried by said second-named leaf spring and engageable with said second-named fixed contact member and having a portion engageable with said thermostatic blade to limit movement of said second-named leaf spring away from said thermostatic blade, a bracket member secured to said spring blade and having overlying spaced relation to said first-named leaf spring, an arm on said bracket member and extending into overlying spaced relation, to said thermostatic blade and said second-named leaf spring, and an abutment screw adjustably threaded through said arm and engageable with said second-named leaf spring, said spring blade being stressed to hold said abutment screw in engagement with said second-named leaf spring as said thermostatic blade moved toward said second-named fixed contact member.

12. A room thermostat comprising a base member, a fixed contact member mounted on said base member, a spring blade fixed at one end to said base member and having its other end adjacent to said contact member, a leaf spring secured to.

and extending along saidblade into opposing relation to and movable away from said contact member, a contact member carried by said leaf spring and engageable with said fixed contact member and having a portion engageable with said spring blade to limit movement of said leaf spring away from said spring blade, a second fixed contact member mounted on said base member adjacent said first-named fixed contact member, a thermostatic blade mounted at one end on said base member in edge to edge relation to said a spring blade and having its other end adjacent blade, said spring blade being stressed to hold said abutment screw in engagement with said second-named leaf spring as said thermostatic blade moves toward said second-named fixed contact member.

11. A room thermostatcomprising a base member, a fixed contact member mounted on said base member, a spring blade fixed at one end to said base member and having its other end adjacent to said contact member, a leaf spring secured to and extending along said blade into opposing relation to and movable away from said contact member, a contact member carried by said leaf spring and engageable with said fixed contact member and having a portion engageable with said spring blade to limit movement of said leaf spring away from said spring blade, asec- 0nd fixed contact member mounted on said base to said second-named fixed contact member, a

leaf spring secured to and extending along said.

static blade to limit movement of said secondnamed leaf spring away from said thermostatic blade, a bracket member secured to said spring blade and having overlying relation to said firstnamed leaf spring, said bracket having a recessed portion so constructed and arranged that said first-named leaf spring can have unrestricted movement away from said spring blade prior to engagement of said first-named carried contact member engageable portion with said spring blade, an arm on said bracket member and extending into overlying spaced relation to said thermostatic blade and said second-named leaf spring, and an abutment screw adjustably threaded through said arm and engageable with said second-named leaf spring, said spring blade be ing stressed to hold said abutment screw in engagement with said second-named leaf spring as said thermostatic blade moves toward said second-named fixed contact member.

13. In a control device, a pair of blade members positioned in edge to edge relation, a bracket member, means on said bracket member overlying one of said blade members and having a positioning portion, means for clamping said one blade member rigidly against said positioning portion, an end portion on said bracket member overlying the other of said blade members, said end portion having adjoining side portions and having an aperture therethrough, said side portions having recesses aligning with and conforming to said aperture, said aperture and said recesses being screw-threaded, and an abutment screw adjustably threaded in said aperture and said recesses and serving to transmit movement from said one to said other blade member.

14. In a control device, a pair of blade members positioned in edge to edge relation, a bracket member, means on said bracket member overlying one of said blade members and having a positioning portion, means for clamping said one blade member rigidly against said positioning portion, an end portion on said bracket member overlying the other of said blade members, said end portion having a surface portion lying in a plurality of planes and providing spaced side portions, said end portion having a screw-threaded aperture therethrough with at least a portion 01 its periphery extending into said plural plane portion and with the longitudinal centerline of said aperture extending substantially centrally of said side p'ortions, said aperture providing a threaded wall surface having a greater length of .thread than the thickness of either of said side portions, and an abutment screw adjustably threaded in said aperture and serving to transmit movement from said one to said other blade member.

EARNEST J. DILLMAN. 

